What is Coaching?
The International Coach Federation describes Professional Coaching as a creative process of engagement between a client and coach that utilizes a co-active approach for enhancing self-awareness and clarity in shifting clients from their current to future desired self, and who they want to Become.
How is Coaching different from Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, Consulting & Mentoring?
Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy usually involves a long-term relationship with a regulated professional, aimed at treating trauma, pathology and/or mental illness. Clients are sometimes diagnosed to help determine a treatment plan in moving forward.
Consulting & Mentoring involves knowledge experts offering help, advise and problem solving. This is an engagement with professional experts in their fields who may offer insights on the best way to move forward with professional projects or career goals.
Professional Coaching compliments traditional Psychology and utilizes the principles of Positive Psychology and Appreciative Inquiry aimed at coaching the whole person in living a purposeful life. Coaching, as a co-active process, uses creative questioning that raises awareness and increases insight, and holds clients accountable for sustaining new habits for their desired change.
Coaching, from my perspective, must take a systemic approach. This is a value-based political process that requires addressing social structures and power dynamics inherent in our relationships, communities, organizations, institutions, and society.